[SixClub] Fw: Final Instructions--K5N Winter DXpedition

Tue Dec 27 15:26:14 EST 2011

let me try this again.

                                                         A.R.S. W5TFW
                                                        Richard J. Fiero II
                                                   ARRL Awards Manager

I think our Members of Congress should wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers so we could identify their corporate sponsors.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Marshall Williams 
To: undisclosed-recipients: 
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 11:09 PM
Subject: Final Instructions--K5N Winter DXpedition

Hello everyone....Christmas is upon us.  After all the turkey and presents are done, it will be time for some FFMA action.

The K5N Grid Activation Group will be activating the DL99-DM90 grid line beginning December 27th and ending at 8AM on December 30th.  We will be hoping for some winter Es, but failing that, we will be operating WSJT FSK441 meteor scatter or JT65a EME.  We hope to have Internet while on location, but we are not absolutely sure that it will work.  We are going to use "tethering" on an iPhone for our Internet connection.  We have been assured that this will work, but we have not had time to test it yet.  If we do have Internet, we will be on PingJockey when we are running meteor scatter and on the ON4KST EME/JT65/CW chat page when we are on 6M EME. 

We will be departing for Rocksprings, TX, on Monday, December 26th.  We will spend Monday night in the Sorrells Motel.  Tuesday, Dec 27, we will drive to the site and setup.  We hope to be up and running by Noon on Tuesday.  We will operate until 8AM on Friday morning, December 30th.  At that point we will tear down and drive home.  

The station is a Pro2 with two 6M-1000 amplifiers by M2.  The amps are combined to give a power output of 1500W output.  The antennas are 2 x 6M5X both mounted as H-pol on a 20ft cross boom with fiberglass ends.  The antennas are fully steerable in AZ and EL.  We expect to have the main cross boom at about 20ft of height.  

We will be operating on 50.215MHz for all modes and since we are a DXpedition, we will take FIRST sequence for all modes.  Below are some operating procedures that will help us to maximize the number of contacts that we make.  Please try to follow these "rules" so that everyone can work us.  We really do want to work everyone that we possibly can.  

1)We will be operating on 50.215MHz for all modes, but we will give preference to Es, just because we can work so many more contacts per hour if there is an opening.  

2)We will take FIRST sequence on meteor scatter or JT65a EME....this is the common practice for DXpeditions.  If we do not have Internet, our clock may not be perfect.  We will do the best we can.  

3)If you are lucky enough to work us on SSB, PLEASE do NOT spend time trying to get your grid across!!!  We will not have time to spend trying to get a fill on something that is not required for a contact anyway.  Just give us a 59 and go on.  For FFMA, we need to make a proper contact, we do NOT have to exchange grids.

4)If there is a weak opening, try CW.  All of our operators are reasonably proficient in CW.  However, I would suggest that you keep your speed down to about 15wpm.  I am OK at 15wpm, but much faster than that and I will screw up your call.  If we get a major pile up, then I am done.  Bill-K5YG probably can handle that, but you never know who will be operating.  Do NOT try to send your grid across.  Just send 5NN and complete the contact.....see above.  

5)On meteor scatter, I normally send grids rather than 26.  However, this time, we will send 26 for our report and expect the same from you.  We will use Single Tones(ST) for the report, the RRR, and the 73. if possible.  I hope that there will not be a bunch of pile ups where we have to send "tags" on each message, but if necessary, we will send tags to make sure that we work the right person.

6)On meteor scatter, if we are sequencing with K4ABC, PLEASE do NOT call on top of us.  Wait until the contact is done and you get a 73 or a CQ, then call us.  I don't want to have 20 guys calling over the top of who we are trying to work.  That will just slow down everything and possibly cause busted or broken QSOs.

7)When we are running JT65a EME, PLEASE DO NOT CALL US IF YOU DO NOT SEE OUR TRACE!!  If you can see our trace, please DO continue calling while we are working someone else.  We will see your trace and decode it while we finish up with some one else.  We can then begin calling a new station without wasting time calling CQ.  In order to conserve moon time, we will NOT send 73, we will proceed to the next caller after our RRR(we will watch for your 73).  If we don't have anyone "in the bull pen", then we will call CQ rather than wasting 2 minutes with a 73.

Remember that Joey-W5TFW is our QSL manager.  If you want a card for these grids, please send your card to Joey with an SASE.  No SASE means no return QSL card.  Also, know that it will take several weeks for us to get the QSL cards printed up, so don't hound Joey about your card....he will get them out as quickly as he can.  Do not send QSL cards to the traveling members, because we will not have any blank cards to send out.  I don't know if Joey will upload to LoTW or not.  The last time, it was a nightmare for him.  This will be a double nightmare, since we will be right on a grid line....I don't think LoTW handles that very well.  If Joey chooses not to upload to LoTW, then just send him a card.  The decision of the QSL Manager is final!!!  

The K5N Grid Activation Group wants to alert all FFMA grid chasers that we are planning TWO separate DXpeditions to the Big Bend grids in late June of 2012.  We will have one group at DL88(currently the rarest grid in the country) and the other group will be on the DL79-DL89 grid line in the Big Bend Ranch State Park of Texas.  These DXpeditions will be operating simultaneously with high power and decent antennas.  The DL88 group will most probably be using the 2 x 6M5X antenna and the DL79-DL89 group will probably be using a single 6M5X.  The dates that we are currently planning on are June 20th thru June 24th of 2012.  Mark your calendars appropriately.  

We hope everyone will have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year.  We all certainly hope we can work you from DL99-DM90.

73 Marshall K5QE
Member K5N Grid Activation Group